Actuating device for percussion-tables.



VA. 0. CAMPBELL.

ACTUATING DEVICE FOR PERCUSSLON TABLES. APPLI CATION FILED APR. 22, I914.

1,141,767., PatentedJune 1, 1915.

2 $HEETSSHEET 1- M S L i K L3 1 2 /I Q L WITNESSES ,4 TTOR/VEYS 'THE NURRIS PETERS CO.. PHDTD-LITHO" WASHINGTON. D. C,

A. C. CAMPBELL.

ACTUATING DEVICE FOR PERCUSSION TABLES. 7 APPLICATION FILED APR. 22, 1914.'

\ 1,141,767, PatentedJune 1, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- WITNESSES 6. CAfiPBiAL A TTOR/VEYS //V VE/V TOR g mzz 41m THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTOJJTHQ.,WASHINGTON, D, C

ALONZO c. GAMPBELL, or nsnnvnmn, nonrn CAROLINA.

ACTUATING DEVICE FOR PERCUSSION-TABLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1915.

Application filed April 22, 1914. Serial No. 833,658.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALoNzo C. CAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Asheville, in the county of Buncombe and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and Improved Actuating Device for Percussion-Tables, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved actuating or impelling device for percussion tables, ar ranged to give the desired impetus to the percussion table and inertial resistance to impact with a view to facilitate the separation of the heavier and lighter materials.

In order to accomplish the desired result, use is made of a pan mounted to oscillate, a revoluble fly wheel provided on its peripheral face with a percussion lug or tappet adapted to engage one end of the said pan, and a spring device connected with the said pan to draw the latter toward the said fly wheel and to exert an upward and a forward pull on the pan.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar'characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the actuating device for a percussion table, part of the pan being shown broken out and the housing and ceiling being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a reduced rear end elevation of the same, part of the pan being broken out and the ceiling of the housing being shown in section; Fig. A is a side elevation of a modified form of the spring device, the overhead beams being shown in section; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the actuating device as applied to two cooperative pans receiving a percussive action from one fly wheel, the floor and housing being shown in section.

The bottom A of the pan A is connected by hinges B, B with legs 13 ,13 connected at their lower endsby hinges 13*, B with blocks C, C, bolted or otherwise secured to a support D, of any approved construction. The leg B is arranged at the forward end of the pan A while the leg B is arranged near the rear or tail end, the leg B being somewhat longer than the leg B On the block C are mounted bearings E in which is mounted to turn a shaft F provided with a pulley F connected by a belt with other machinery for imparting a rotary motion to the shaft F.

' On the shaft F is secured a massive fly wheel G provided on its peripheral face with a diminutive percussion lug or tappet G adapted to be engaged by a bumping block H secured on the forward end of the keel I forming part of the pan A. In order to hold the bumping block H in contact with the peripheral face of the massive fly wheel G and its percussion lug or tappet G, the following arrangement is made: On the bumping block H is secured an eye J connected by a wire, rope or other suitable flexible connection J with an eye J forming part of a spring device K which may be either in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 3 or in the form shown in Fig. 4. The spring device K shown in Figs. 1 and 3 consists of a spring board K to the free end of which is secured the eye J and the said spring board K is fastened by a bolt K to a timber K attached to the under side of an overhead support K such as a ceiling or the like. The spring board K is engaged by an adjusting screw K for regulating the tension of the spring board K. In the modified form shown in Fig. i the eye J 2 is mounted to slide in a bearing K held on a board K attached to the overhead support K and the upper end of the eye J 2 is pressed on by a spring K so as to yieldingly support the eye J By adjusting the nut K at the top end of the eye J 2 the tension of the spring K can be regulated. By reference to Fig. 1, it will be noticed that the flexible connection J extends upwardly and slightly forwardly relatively to the pan A so that the bumping block H is held in contact with the peripheral face of the massive fly wheel G and its percussion lug or tappet G.

The tail end of the pan A is provided with an eye L connected with the lower end of a retention device in the form of a wire rope L connected at its upper end to an eye L spring-supported on a board L secured to the overhead support K previously mentioned.

In practice, the massive fly wheel G is of large diameter (3 to 4 feet) and the tappet or. lug G is comparatively diminutive, say, half an inch as the maximum. The massive fly Wheel G is driven at a high speed to derive the mechanical effect of mass and velocity. A massive fly wheel G of four feet in diameter at a speed of 150 r. p.- m. has a peripheral velocity of 1,875 feet per minute or 61 feet per second; If the lug or tappet G has an angle of 30 then the horizontal massive fly wheel G may be speeded up to 120 r. p. m. and still the pan be bumping at the same rate, namely, 60. The massive fly wheel G may be speeded up to 180 r. p. m. with the lug or tappet Gr striking only every third revolution. In this manner any intensity of force may be figured on. If two or more lugs or tappets G are used on the peripheral face of the massive fly wheel G then a wide variation ofimpacts may be arranged to suit any possible case, it being understood that the force of the impacts increases'as the square of velocity of the massive fly wheel G. As'shown in Fig. 5, two pans A are arranged on opposite sides of the massive fly wheel G and two percussion lugs G are arranged on the peripheral face of the fly wheel G diametrically opposite each other. The two flexible connections J of the two pans A connect with the eye J .of the spring board K,

the eye J being located directly above the center of the fly wheel G. The detail construction of the pan A may be varied according to the use made of the device. The pan A shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is provided with a series of transversely-extending perforate riflles P mounted to swing up and down in the pan A. The riflies extend in a forward direction. The operation is as, follows: When the shaft F is rotated then the centrifugal inertia of the massive fly wheel G together with the percussion lug or ,tappet Gr aflords the necessary impact .on the bumping block H to lurch the pan A to the right with such force and amplitude as is in keeping, first, with the weight of the loaded pan A, second, with the tension of the spring device K, and, third, with the radial inclination of the legs B B When the legs B B stand erect most of the weight of the loaded pan A is borne by them, particularly the hind legs B Much of the weight is held by the spring device K. When the pan A recoils from-the impact given it as above described,

it is by restraint :held to the combined movement of the hinged legs B and B When the pan is describing this path the spring device K is increasing in tension or lifting so that it may permit'of any desired amplitude of the pan A under any given structural conditions and any given velocity'of reciprocation. Thus, for instance, if the massive fly wheel G should have a speed say of 120 revolutions per minute, as above mentioned, then the pan A should recoil say about 6 inches and return in time to just meet the percussion lug G at the next revolution of. the wheel Gr, so that the total impact is the sum of the arrested motionof the pan A andthe centrifugal impact of the percussion lug G. The tension of the spring device K may be connected so that the impact shall be every other revolution of the percussion lug or tappet G so that the pan A receives 60 bumpsper minuteinstead of 120. From theforegoing it willbe noticed that any desired effect may be reached by the adjustment of'one or more of the constructive parts, that is, the legs B B as to their length and inclination,

the total weight of the pan and load, the in- V clination of the flexible connection J, the weight and speed of the massivefly wheel G, the thickness of the percussion lug G, etc., all of which should be in keeping with the needs of the case whether the apparatus is used for coal washing (coarse or V fine) or for washing ore'having baser metal or precious metals.

The reciprocating movement'of the pan A due tothe joint actionof the spring device K and its flexible connection J with the pan A and the'legs B B is very peculiar and very ieflective, as will presently appear. The spring device in the present case is designed to act inconjunction with the legs B B the same as a toggle joint movement being, able to rise at all even'though the spring device be at its maximum tension at V In this event the tension of the the time. spring device is increased so that the periodicity and amplitude shall be correct for 'the given purpose. In the ordinary spring device now generally used the'action and reaction are equal and opposed; that is to say, the recoil of the spring'has the same vior30 7 lence as the impact of the percussion lug. This violent return jerk has a tendency to unseat the bed and all would flow toward the tail of the pan and there would be only a shaking table like that of a screen; furthermore, there would be only a shuffling to and fro but no carrying effect toward the head would be produced. In the present cooperative mechanical movement the pan A nearing the terminus of the stroke backward is exceedingly slow both going and coming, and there is a well-gaged accelerated movement as the knuckle of the toggle joint straightens up and the spring device has its full unrestrained effect.

It will be understood that the force of the impact is not spent upon the wheel G as if the latter were at a standstill, but it is the centrifugal inertia of the wheel that takes the impact, and that force increases with the square of the velocity. Again, with the double action pans A, A shown in Fig. 5, the impacts are at the same instant and are counteractive. That they may be constrained to bump at the same instant, the one spring device and the one connection operate both pans A, A, all other conditions being symmetrical.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the return stroke at the instant of the impact is at its maximum speed and in a direction nearly horizontal, the legs being nearly vertical. The percussion lug or tappet G strikes the bumper H at a high speed of the massive fly wheel Gr. It is not as a sluggish push like that of a cam but more like that of a steam hammer and giving an instantaneous rebound as much so as the striking of two elastic balls that do not slide apart but rebound with the reaction due to their elasticity. It will be noticed that the combination of this massive fly wheel G, hinged legs B B and the force and direction of the spring power device K enable the widely variable results and the much-needed possibilities required in successful coal washing and ore concentration. At the instant of impact the acceleration is greatest and the movement is horizontal, tending downwardly, which effects a reverse or upward and forward buoyancy to the bed, including the swinging riffies and interstitial mass. This forcible efl'ect cannot be brought out by merely bumping the pan against a fixed post or equivalent, since to get such an effect in a right degree necessitates a powerful positive mechanical movement actuating the pan to give it the necessary impetus.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination with a percussion table having a percussion head, of an actuating device comprising a massive revoluble wheel having a percussion tappet-of diminutive throw, and of high kinetic energy, actuating said percussion table, the said table being of such reduced proportions of mass relatively to the wheel, that the recoil of the impact shall not disturb the stability of the wheel in its bearings or cause it to falter.

2. In a machine of the class described, a pan having an impact head at its forward end, a massive revoluble fly wheel provided on its peripheral face with a percussion tappet coacting with the impact head of the pan, means for mounting the pan whereby the pan has a rearward and downward movement under the force of the impact, and a tension device having a flexible connection with the forward end of the pan and adapted to exert an upward and forward pull on the said pan.

3. In an impact jig-pan of the class described, a pan, freely swinging riffles, legs pivoted to the front and rear ends of the pan, the hindmost leg being radially shorter and thus describing a larger angular amplitude, rearward and downward, a resistant massive fly wheel with tappet impinging the returning head of the pan, and tension means connected in inclined relation to the pan .and adapted to counterbalance the downward component of motion and to return the pan into the path of the tappet.

4C. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a pan mounted for rearward and downward movement, a massive revoluble fly wheel provided on its peripheral face with a percussion tappet adapted to engage one end of the said pan, and a spring device connected with the said pan adapted to draw the latter toward the peripheral face of the said fly wheel and to exert an upward and a forward pull on the said pan.

5. The combination with a percussion table mounted to oscillate and having a percussive head, of a massive revoluble wheel of large-diameter provided on its peripheral face with an integral percussion tappet adapted to engage the percussive head of said table to impart instantaneous rebound to said table, and tension means connected with the percussion table and adapted to return the latter into the path of the tappet.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALONZO C. CAMPBELL.

Witnesses:

E. M. LYDA, L. B. CAMPBELL.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

